Home Pastors Articles for Pastors What You Need to Know About Interpreting Prophetic Scripture

What You Need to Know About Interpreting Prophetic Scripture

The identification of Jesus in the order of Melchizedek highlights the two roles of Jesus. It highlights his reason for coming, as well as a prophetic message to the world—first to be king and second to be the high priest. If Jesus was only a king and not our high priest, then this Scripture could not be applied to him.

Guardrail Protection #5: Prophetic Scriptures can have a natural and literal interpretation and should be viewed through that lens first unless symbolism is apparent.

Total reliance on any one author or theologian is irresponsible. We must all be students of Scripture, correctly handling the Word of Truth. The Bible is not a document trying to trick us. Stories that are parables are stated as such. Proverbs and the poetic sections address such categories.

Guardrail Protection #6: Scripture interprets Scripture.

All through Scripture, we see Scripture interpreting itself. By looking at different accounts of Scriptures we can sometimes find a clear understanding of a text. For example, in the triumphal entry, Luke 19:28–40 is interpreting and fulfilling Zachariah 9 and Daniel 9. (Daniel’s Chapter 9 gives the exact day when the triumphal entry will happen.)

This article was adapted from All Knowing: The Omniscient God by Kevin Francis O’Connor